The Leaf

Spacious greenhouse with a glass dome and metal framework, housing lush greenery. Two people stand on a walkway, bathed in natural light.

The Leaf

As a LEED Gold botanical sanctuary, The Leaf positions itself as a civic landmark that encourages visitors to rethink their relationship with nature, culture, and climate through an immersive experience of plants, light, and spatial generosity.

The session will delve deeply into the background, strategies, means and methods behind the design of this building and landscape.  It is a ‘behind the scenes’ peek into 10 years of challenges and successes to create a sustainable and transformational environment in one of the harshest environments in the world.  The discussion will be led by the sealing Architect and Landscape Architect for the project and supported by the lead Project Manager.

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Lee McCormick

Lee McCormick is a graduate of the University of Manitoba and a registered architect with more than thirty years of professional experience. As Managing Principal of Architecture 49 Inc. for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, he draws on a career that spans both architectural practice and construction contracting, giving him a grounded understanding of design and delivery. His service to the profession includes terms as president of the Manitoba Association of Architects and leadership roles on the Practice, BIM, and Registration Committees. He also supports professional education through his work on Red River College’s Public Advisory Committee for the Bachelor of Construction Management program.

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Monica Giesbrecht

Monica is a principal at HTFC Planning & Design. As a landscape architect recognized for her commitment to inclusive and community-focused design, Monica gently nudges clients and the public towards the ideal of healthy lands and healthy people. Trained at the University of Manitoba after immigrating to Canada from Romania, Monica has built a practice that amplifies and supports social, cultural, and environmental connections through the designed landscapes we all share. Her portfolio includes the planning, design and implementation of public parks and recreation spaces, nature centres and education facilities, streets and plazas, in the Canadian Prairies, the Boreal Forest, North of 60, and beyond. Outside of work, Monica gives back to her community by sitting on public art and urban design advisory committees, volunteering on not for profit housing and social planning boards, and mentoring emerging practitioners.

Black and white portrait of a woman with long hair, smiling warmly. She's wearing a dark top and stands against a softly blurred indoor background.

Sarah Chernis

Sarah is a Project Manager and Sustainability Specialist with 20 years of experience working on complex projects. After several years of hosting integrated design sessions and managing the sustainable aspects of projects, including commissioning agents, energy modelers, and client and user group operation mandates as a Sustainability Specialist, she took on a Project Management role. Sarah recently spent more than five years managing The Leaf at Canada’s Diversity Gardens, a technically complex botanical conservatory and living learning centre. Sarah also regularly manages projects for private sector and public clients including the Department of National Defence and Manitoba Hydro.

Project Deep Dive Series 

The Faculty of Architecture presents Project Deep Dive, a talk series that explores the complexities of design practice beyond images. Each session features a 30–40 minute presentation followed by open discussion, highlighting the processes, challenges, and lessons behind significant projects. Students, faculty, and professionals are invited to learn from real cases that reveal how design unfolds through negotiations, logistics, and technical expertise, celebrating local excellence and professional rigour.